Man found dead Sunday in home on near east side; police looking for killer

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Indianapolis police are searching for a killer after a man was found dead inside an abandoned home near 10th and Rural on Sunday.

That area historically has been one of the city’s most violent neighborhoods.

Police say the victim was found dead Sunday afternoon. The murder coincides with a multi-million dollar effort to clean up that part of town.

Neighbors say abandoned homes continue to be a big problem causing crime in the area. That blight is why neighbors weren’t surprised by the killing.

"With all these abandoned houses, you can’t police them all," said neighbor Teresa Shrout.

Teresa says directly across the street from the murder scene, a vacant home was torn down by the city last year as part of Mayor Hogsett's promise to rehab, transform or demolish 2,000 homes in two years.

According to the city’s website, so far 294 homes have been demolished, 74 have been rehabbed and 626 new homes have been built.

With hundreds more repaired, that brings the total of impacted homes to 1,840.

"It is safe to say we are confident we will reach the 2000 homes benchmark within the planned timeframe," a spokesperson at the mayor's office added.

"They’ve done a lot. I wish they would do a lot more," said Shrout.

"You know abandoned properties are problem no matter where you are," said John Franklin Hay with Near East Area Renewal.

Although 10th and Rural has traditionally been one of the city’s high crime neighborhoods, John says 22 homes in the area have been rebuilt as part of an Educator's Village.

Construction on 15 of the homes has been finished and nine of those homes have been sold.

Still, everyone knows more needs to be done to increase public safety.

"We are just like everyone, we are concerned about blight and the crime that comes with it," said Franklin Hay.

"I give them props for what they’re doing. Everyone appreciates them trying to revitalize the neighborhood, but you can count, out of ten houses on this street, six of them are empty," said Shrout.

So far no arrests have been made. Anyone with information on Sunday’s homicide can contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.